The Constitutional
Convention
May 25, 1787
55 Delegates attended from
all states except Rhode
Island
In the Beginning…
• All of the delegates had political experience
• George Washington- chosen to preside over the
meeting
• Benjamin Franklin: world famous
diplomat/scientist
• Gouverneur Morris- wrote the final draft of the
Constitution
• James Madison aka The Father of the
Constitution
How It Worked:
• Each state would have 1 vote on all questions
• A simple majority of those states present would
make the decisions
• No meetings unless 7 of the 13 states were
present
• No public or press were allowed which let the
delegates talk freely
What They Agreed On…
• Completely abandoned the Articles
• ALL favored limited and representative
government
• Division on powers among legislative,
executive and judicial branches
• Limit states' power to coin $ or interfere with
creditors' rights
• Strengthen the national government
HOW TO MAKE IT
WORK?
DECISIONS AND
COMPROMISES
The Virginia Plan
•
drafted by James Madison
•
3 Major Principles:
1. Strong national legislature with 2 chambers
• Lower to be elected by the people and the upper to be
chosen by the lower
2. Strong national executive to be chosen by the
national legislature
3. A national judiciary to be appointed by the
legislature
The New Jersey Plan
• Smaller states realized larger states would have
control
• Amend the Articles- keep unicameral legislature
with 1 vote per state
• Give Congress power to impose taxes and
regulate trade
• Weak executive of multiple people elected by
Congress
• Nat'l judiciary with limited power appointed by
the executive
The Connecticut
Compromise
•
Legislative Branch with 2 parts
1. House of Reps based on population who would decide
all revenue laws (spending and taxes would begin
here)
2. Senate with 2 members from each state elected by
state legislatures
•
Gave advantage to big states in House but protection for
smaller states in the senate
The Slavery Question
• Three-Fifths Compromise- 3/5 of the enslaved
people would be counted for both tax and
representation
• Commerce and the Slave Trade
– Could not ban the slave trade until 1808
– Congress can regulate interstate and foreign
commerce BUT
– No export tax
• “Slave” never appears but those escaping to
free states could be returned to slave holders
The Federalists
vs.
The Anti-Federalists
The Federalists

Mainly merchants and people in cities and
coastal regions
 Hamilton, Madison and John Jay
 Believed that without a strong national
government, there would be anarchy
 Wrote more than 80 essays to help get the
Constitution ratified


The Federalist Papers
Promised a Bill of Rights
(in order to get the
Constitution ratified)
The Anti-Federalists





Mostly inland farmers and laborers
 Patrick Henry, George Mason and Samuel
Adams
Feared a strong national government
Lacked a Bill of Rights to guarantee the
freedoms they fought so hard for in the
Revolution
Argued the documents was
extralegal, not sanctioned by
law since the Convention was
authorized only to amend
the Articles
Constitution drafted in “secret”
Ratification
9 States of the 13 states were needed for
ratification
Delaware was the 1st state to ratify the
Constitution
 The Constitution was officially “ratified”
when New Hampshire became the 9th
state to do so
 Rhode Island was the last state
to ratify the Constitution